Comfort Colors® 1717 Garment-Dyed T-Shirts
Our premium Atelier designs are printed on the Comfort Colors® 1717—a heavyweight, garment-dyed T-shirt chosen for its exceptional comfort, relaxed style, durability, and distinctive lived-in character.
What makes it special?
The Comfort Colors® 1717 is not an ordinary printed T-shirt. It is sewn first and then dyed as a complete garment through a process known as garment dyeing.
This process gives the shirt its soft, familiar feel and distinctive color character. Subtle variations in shade are natural and help make each garment feel individual.
Premium heavyweight cotton
The 1717 is made from 100% ring-spun U.S. cotton with a fabric weight of 6.1 oz/yd² (approximately 207 g/m²).
It feels heavier and more substantial than a standard lightweight T-shirt while remaining soft and comfortable enough for everyday wear. Ring-spun cotton produces a smooth, refined fabric that provides an excellent canvas for our artwork.
Relaxed fit and durable construction
The 1717 has a relaxed fit and tubular body, giving it an easy, comfortable silhouette rather than a close or fitted shape.
It is constructed with:
- A double-needle topstitched collar
- Double-needle stitching around the armholes
- Reinforced sleeve and bottom hems
- Twill-taped neck and shoulders for additional durability
- A signature Comfort Colors® twill label
These details help the shirt retain its structure through regular wear and washing.
What garment dyeing means for you
- A naturally lived-in appearance — the color has a softer, more relaxed character than a conventionally dyed T-shirt.
- Exceptional softness — the garment-dye and wash processes give the shirt a comfortable, already-broken-in feel.
- Very little shrinkage at home — the shirt is pre-shrunk during the garment-dyeing and washing process.
- Individual color character — subtle differences in tone are a natural result of the process and are not considered defects.
- A finish designed to age beautifully — the garment’s vintage character becomes part of the way the shirt looks and feels over time.
Pigment-dyed and reactive-dyed colors
Comfort Colors® uses two different types of color treatments:
Pigment-dyed colors have the brand’s signature faded, vintage appearance. Subtle color variations are natural, and the weathered character is intended to remain throughout the life of the garment.
Reactive-dyed colors have a more traditional, uniform appearance while maintaining the same characteristic softness and comfort.
The exact appearance may therefore vary slightly depending on the shirt color selected.
How it differs from the Gildan® 64000
The Comfort Colors® 1717 and Gildan® 64000 are both made with ring-spun cotton, but they offer different wearing experiences.
The Comfort Colors® 1717 is:
- Heavier and more substantial
- Garment-dyed for a vintage, lived-in appearance
- Relaxed and more generously cut
- Designed to have natural color character
- Used for our premium Atelier artwork
The Gildan® 64000 is:
- Lighter and more breathable
- Cleaner and more uniform in appearance
- Modern and versatile
- Well suited to everyday graphics and casual wear
- Made with a smooth, high-density printing surface
Both shirts offer softness and dependable print quality. The principal difference is whether you prefer the lighter, cleaner feel of the Gildan® 64000 or the heavier, vintage character of the Comfort Colors® 1717.
Why we chose the Comfort Colors® 1717
At Denis The Cat Studio, we believe that our more detailed and artistic designs deserve a canvas that matches their quality.
The fabric’s weight, texture, relaxed character, and worn-in appearance complement our artwork while providing the comfort and durability needed for a shirt you will genuinely want to wear.
50 years of color and comfort
Comfort Colors® has specialized in soft, garment-dyed apparel for 50 years. The company is known for combining nature-inspired colors, ring-spun cotton, relaxed styling, and a familiar feel from the very first wear.
Its long history of garment dyeing has helped make Comfort Colors® a recognized name in premium casual apparel.
A more resource-conscious dyeing process
For its pigment-dyed colors, Comfort Colors® uses its proprietary Pigment Pure™ process.
According to the company, this process:
- Uses approximately one-third as much water
- Requires 40% less processing time
- Consumes less energy
- Requires no salt
These comparisons are against conventional reactive-dyeing methods and are based on approximate, averaged data provided by Comfort Colors®.
- Comfort Colors® also states that it oversees most of its manufacturing supply chain—from sourcing cotton and spinning yarn to knitting, dyeing, cutting, and sewing its garments. This gives the company greater visibility into the resources and processes used to produce its apparel.
Learn more about Comfort Colors® and its sustainability practices.
Caring for your shirt
Pigment-dyed garments may retain a small amount of loose surface pigment. Proper care will help protect the garment, its color, and the printed artwork.
- Wash separately before the first wear
- Afterward, machine wash cold and inside out
- Wash with similar colors
- Keep away from white or light-colored garments when washing
- Tumble dry on low heat
- Do not bleach
- Do not iron directly on the printed artwork
Subtle shade variations and gradual changes in color are natural characteristics of garment-dyed apparel. They are part of what gives every Comfort Colors® shirt its individual, lived-in character.